Still, one franchise that has remained noticeably absent from the current era of reboots and “re-imaginings” is Lethal Weapon. The original 1987 action classic – directed by Richard Donner and written by Iron Man 3‘s Shane Black – followed stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as mismatched police partners and spawned three sequels. However, despite longtime rumblings that Warner Bros. hopes to reboot the franchise, it has laid dormant since 1998, leaving fans wondering (hoping?) whether the franchise is truly dead. According to a new rumor, that may not be the case after all.

The Tracking Board is reporting that none other than Thor star Chris Hemsworth has, in fact, been offered the lead role in Warner Bros.’ Lethal Weapon reboot. The site says that the script – currently titled Lionhunters – centers on the son of an older cop who decides to join the police force. Fans may remember that Mel Gibson and Rene Russo’s characters had a son at the end of the previous film. So it’s quite possible that this is the role Hemsworth would be up for. Justin Lin (Fast Five) is reportedly attached to direct, with Will Beall (Gangster Squad) writing the screenplay.

Before fans get all excited about the God of Thunder playing the next-generation Riggs, this story is absolutely not official and should be considered only a rumor at this point. However, that being said, it makes perfect sense that Warner Bros. would go after Hemsworth, who has certainly proven himself a bankable action hero (at least in films bearing the Marvel banner). Bringing him in as Gibson’s son would also allow for the series’ original stars to appear, whether in supporting roles or simply cameos. A similar approach worked for the 2000 version of 1971 cult classic Shaft, wherein Samuel L. Jackson starred as the nephew to original star Richard Roundtree’s character.

Hemsworth’s availability is another issue, however, as he is currently working on The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron and will certainly reprise his role in Thor 3 a couple years later. Plus, even if this rumor rings true, it’s possible that Gibson and Glover have no interest in revisiting their most famous roles, though their recent action work implies that they may no longer feel that they’re “too old for this” kind of adventure. Lin’s involvement sounds even more doubtful, since the in-demand filmmaker is already tied to the next Bourne film, though it is possible that the new Lethal Weapon could be next on his radar.

Do you think Hemsworth would make a worthy successor to the Lethal Weapon franchise, or is this one series you’d rather see left alone? Sound off in the comments section below.

Stay tuned to Screen Rant for the latest details on the rumored Lethal Weapon reboot.